NFL 2012: Three Unsung Heroes from the Redskins' Week 1 Victory

Robert Griffin III stole the show in every way possible with one of the greatest rookie debuts of all time, but there were many other reasons for the Redskins' demolition of the New Orleans Saints.  

On the road in one of the toughest environments in the NFL, the Redskins put together a superb team effort to take down a superior team without much trouble.  

Here are three players who were just as important to the team as RG3.

1. DeJon Gomes

There was a lot of evidence to suggest during the week that the Saints would have a field day against the Redskins' depleted secondary. Of most concern was the depth at safety. Brandon Merriweather was injured and Tanard Jackson was suspended. The Redskins were forced to turn to Gomes and Madieu Williams. And boy, did they perform well.  

Gomes in particular had a great game, including a game-clinching interception that he returned to the Saints' three-yard line to set up a touchdown. Remember: Drew Brees threw for over 5,400 yards last season and led one of the most statistically dominant offenses in NFL history.  

Not only did the Redskins and Gomes hold the Saints in check, they held New Orleans to its lowest yardage output in almost two years.  It was an inspiring performance from a much-maligned backup.

2. Billy Cundiff

The best defense is a great offense, and Billy Cundiff lived that mantra to the fullest on Sunday.  Yes, he went 4-of-4 and scored 16 points. But his impact was even further reaching when you consider what could have happened had he missed a field goal or two.

Not only would the Redskins have left three points on the table, but also the Saints would have been given a short field to score on.  

In a close game, giving Drew Brees a short field is a death sentence.  By making his kicks, Cundiff made sure that the Saints stayed grounded and forced them to work for every single yard.

3. Nick Sundberg

By now, you've probably heard about Sundberg's heroics in Sunday's game. He took a helmet to the forearm in the second quarter and suffered a broken bone. Yet he stayed in the game and toughed it out.  

There are a number of things that make this incredibly important. First of all, we all saw how losing a long snapper can negatively affect your team when we saw how dysfunctional the Oakland Raiders' special teams became after losing their snapper on Monday night.  

Second, Sundberg's inspiring performance says something much larger. It makes a diehard Redskins fan feel like maybe there's a different attitude on this team.  

For years, the Redskins have lacked players like Sundberg. After seeing this story, it seems that Sundberg's actions can help set a tone for the rest of the season and inspire his teammates to a surprising season.